Methods and systems for using service level objectives in a networked storage environment

Abstract

Methods and systems for a networked storage environment are provided. One method includes storing a plurality of configurable attributes at a data structure by a processor, where a combination of the configurable attributes is used to define a custom service level class (SLC) in a networked storage environments using a plurality of resources for storing data; receiving a request by the processor to create the custom SLC based of a set of configurable attributes; identifying a resource of the networked storage environment that meets the requirements defined by the attributes of the custom SLC; and configuring the resource for meeting the requirements of the custom SLC.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A machine implemented method, comprising:
 using a storage service level (SSL) object and a protection service level (PSL) object for storing a plurality of configurable attributes by a processor, where a combination of the configurable attributes is used to define one or more service level classes (SLCs) in a networked storage environment for using a plurality of resources for storing, accessing and protecting data per the SLCs;   wherein the SSL object defines storage service levels and the PSL object defines data protection service levels using one or more of backup and mirroring techniques; and wherein the SSL object and the PSL object use a same schema and naming convention for defining each of the plurality of configurable attributes regardless of a type of the plurality of configurable attributes and a type of the plurality of resources;   identifying by the processor a storage volume for moving the storage volume from a first SLC to a second SLC;   obtaining by the processor a set of attributes defining the second SLC;   updating by the processor a quality of service (QOS) policy data structure for the storage volume for using one or more resources from the plurality of resources that meet requirements defined by the set of attributes of the second SLC;   associating the storage volume by the processor with the one or more resources from the plurality of resources; and   processing requests for storing and accessing data in the networked storage environment using the QOS policy data structure in compliance with the set of attributes of the second SLC.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a storage service level defined by a number of input output requests that are processed for a certain storage capacity. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a storage service level defined by a minimum number of input output requests that are processed for the one or more SLCs and a provisioning type for the resource. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a protection service level that defines a topology for protecting data for for the one or more SLCs. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the topology includes a remote cluster for storing the data for the one or more SLCs for disaster recovery. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the topology identifies a destination storage resource within a same cluster of the networked storage environment for backing up data for the one or more SLCs. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the same schema and the naming convention associates a service for each of the plurality of configurable attributes by identifying a storage system type, a storage system and a service name that identifies a service type for each configurable attribute. 
     
     
         8 . A non-transitory, machine readable storage medium having stored thereon instructions comprising machine executable code which when executed by a machine, causes the machine to:
 use a storage service level (SSL) object and a protection service level (PSL) object for storing a plurality of configurable attributes by a processor, where a combination of the configurable attributes is used to define one or more service level classes (SLCs) in a networked storage environment for using a plurality of resources for storing, accessing and protecting data per the SLCs;   wherein the SSL object defines storage service levels and the PSL object defines data protection service levels using one or more of backup and mirroring techniques; and wherein the SSL object and the PSL object use a same schema and naming convention for defining each of the plurality of configurable attributes regardless of a type of the plurality of configurable attributes and a type of the plurality of resources;   identify by the processor a storage volume for moving the storage volume from a first SLC to a second SLC;   obtain by the processor a set of attributes defining the second SLC;   update by the processor a quality of service (QOS) policy data structure for the storage volume for using one or more resources from the plurality of resources that meet requirements defined by the set of attributes of the second SLC;   associate the storage volume by the processor with the one or more resources from the plurality of resources; and   process requests for storing and accessing data in the networked storage environment using the QOS policy data structure in compliance with the set of attributes of the second SLC.   
     
     
         9 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a storage service level defined by a number of input output requests that are processed for a certain storage capacity. 
     
     
         10 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a storage service level defined by a minimum number of input output requests that are processed for the one or more SLCs and a provisioning type for the resource. 
     
     
         11 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a protection service level that defines a topology for protecting data for the one or more SLCs. 
     
     
         12 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the topology includes a remote cluster for storing the data for the one or more SLCs for disaster recovery. 
     
     
         13 . The non-transitory storage medium of  claim 11 , wherein the topology identifies a destination storage resource within a same cluster of the networked storage environment for backing up data for the one or more SLCs. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the same schema and the naming convention associates a service for each of the plurality of configurable attributes by identifying a storage system type, a storage system and a service name that identifies a service type for each configurable attribute. 
     
     
         15 . A system, comprising:
 a memory containing machine readable medium comprising machine executable code having stored thereon instructions; and a processor module coupled to the memory, the processor module configured to execute the machine executable code to:
 use a storage service level (SSL) object and a protection service level (PSL) object for storing a plurality of configurable attributes, where a combination of the configurable attributes is used to define one or more service level classes (SLCs) in a networked storage environment for using a plurality of resources for storing, accessing and protecting data per the SLCs; 
 wherein the SSL object defines storage service levels and the PSL object defines data protection service levels using one or more of backup and mirroring techniques; and wherein the SSL object and the PSL object use a same schema and naming convention for defining each of the plurality of configurable attributes regardless of a type of the plurality of configurable attributes and a type of the plurality of resources; 
 identify a storage volume for moving the storage volume from a first SLC to a second SLC; 
 obtain a set of attributes defining the second SLC; 
 update a quality of service (QOS) policy data structure for the storage volume for using one or more resources from the plurality of resources that meet requirements defined by the set of attributes of the second SLC; 
 associate the storage volume with the one or more resources from the plurality of resources; and 
 process requests for storing and accessing data in the networked storage environment using the QOS policy data structure in compliance with the set of attributes of the second SLC. 
   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more SLCs include one or more of a storage service level defined by a number of input output requests that are processed for a certain storage capacity and a storage service level defined by a minimum number of input output requests that are processed for the one or more SLCs and a provisioning type for the resource. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more SLCs include a protection service level that defines a topology for protecting data for the one or more SLCs. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the topology includes a remote cluster for storing the data for the one or more SLCs for disaster recovery. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the topology identifies a destination storage resource within a same cluster of the networked storage environment for backing up data for the one or more SLCs. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the same schema and the naming convention associates a service for each of the plurality of configurable attributes by identifying a storage system type, a storage system and a service name that identifies a service type for each configurable attribute.